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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wave · ball · branch · bear · ground · cabinet · chip · stem

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ground — the earth
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ground — a position
  7. chip — to eat
  8. ball — a dance
  9. stem — to come from
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. ball — a great time
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. branch — a division
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. ground — crushed
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. stem — a stem cell

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com